Thermostatic device.



T. H. SMITH.

THEEMOSTATIO DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1910.v

1,030,025. Patented June 18,1912.

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THURSTON H. SMITH, OF PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

THERMOSTATIC DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed September 9, 1910. Serial No. 581,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THURSTON H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pe-ekskill, in the county of lVestchester, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ThermostaticDevices; andl. do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andeXact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in thermostatic fire indicatingdevices whereby the abnormal increase of temperature in a room willclose an electric circuit and energize an alarm instrument or bell andnotify the occupants of the abnormal increase in temperature.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a fireindicating device having an adjustable member so arranged that theelectrical circuit connected to the device and an alarm bell will beclosed at different temperatures.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a resilientlysupported contact member in a thermostatic device and an indicatingcontact member moved under the influence of a thermostatic fluid such asmercury whereby an electrical circuit will be closed by the contactingof the two contact members when an abnormal temperature has beenreached.

Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists incertain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearlydescribed in the following specification and clearly illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewthrough the thermostatic tube and the thermostatic vessel of the devicewith the resilient supporting rods carrying the upper contact membershown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional viewthrough one of the spring rods or supports. Fig. 3 is a detailtransverse sectional view taken on the line & 1 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 5 denotes the base of the devicewhich is formed hollow to receive the bowl 6 of the thermostatic liquidholding vessel, the upper end of which vessel is formed with anelongated tubular neck 7 projecting through an opening in the hollowbase 5 and through a holding collar 8, which collar 8 serves to hold thebowl 6 in the hollow base 5. The bowl 6 and the neck 7 of the vessel areformed out of transparent material such as glass and a supply of mercury9 is arranged in the bowl and in the lower portion of the neck 7. Theupper end of the tubular neck 7 is contracted at 10 and a suitablepacking element 11 is arranged therein. A rod 13 is disposed in thetubular neck 7 for vertical movement therein and the lower end of saidrod 13 is provided with a spherical terminal or ball 14 which floats inthe mercury or liquid 9 and the upper end of said rod 13 extends abovethe contracted end 10 of the neck 7 which carries a small plate or member 15 thereon, which member or plate serves as a support for cushionsprings 16, on the upper ends of which springs a contact member 17 ismounted.

A. block 18 is slidable on the tubular neck 7 and said block is formedwith a pendant portion 19 also slidable on the neck and which pendantportion is formed with an opening 20 across which opening an indicator21 projects. The block 18 and the pendant portion 19 carry a felt lining22 which contacts with the tubular neck 7. The tubular neck 7. is formedwith a suitably graduated scale 23 whereby the action of thethermostatic device can be regulated. The block 18 and the pendantportion 19 are held to the neck 7 by means of a screw 24 which isthreaded through said pendant portion 19 and is provided with a swiveledcontact member 26 adapted to engage with the tubular neck, orthermometer tube.

The block 18 supports two vertically disposed tubular members 25 and 26in which rods 27 and 28 slide. On the upper ends of the rods 27 and 28which project above the tubular members or casings 25 and 26 anonconducting plate 29 is mounted. On the non-conducting plate 29contact members 30 and 31 are secured, which contact members are adaptedto engage with the metallic plate 17 on the upper end of the rod 13. Thelower ends of the rods 27 and 28 are provided with shoulders 32 whichare engaged by contraction springs 33 arranged in the casings 25 and 26,and said springs 33 are held in the casings by means of nuts 34 threadedthereon. Current carrying wires and 36 are connected with the contactmembers 30 and 31 by means of binding posts 37 arranged on thenon-conducting plate or bar 29. The lower terminals of the wires 35 and36 are connected with binding posts 38 mounted on the hollow base 5 andsaid binding posts 33 are electrically connected to binding posts 39 bymeans of clips or connections 40 arranged within the hollow base 5.

Wires 41 and 42 are connected with the binding posts 39 and with thebinding posts 43 and 44 of the alarm or signal bell 45 which may bearranged distantly from the thermostatic device or near the same.Current is supplied to the wires of the circuit by means of a suitablegenerator or battery 46. I

In using the device the block 19 is ar ranged on the tubular neck 7 sothat the upper contact members 30 and 31 will be spaced above thecontact members 17 a distance equal to the distance between the maximumnormal degree mark of the scale 23 and the abnormal degree mark of saidscale, which indicates the maximum limitof the safe temperature of theroom as determined beforehand. Should the indicating finger 21 bearranged so as to indicate the 100th degree mark on the scale 23 thecontact members 17 will not engage with the contact members 30 and 31until the temperature in the room reaches the 100th degree, when the rod13 will be elevated by the expansion of the mercury 6 so the contactmember 17 will be brought into contacting position with the contacts 30and 31. hen the contact member 17 engages-with the contact members 30and 31 current will flow from the generator 46 through the wire 40 andthe wire 41 to the bell 45, thereby sounding an alarm and notifying theoccupants of the room or other interested parties that an excessivetemperature has been developed in the room in which the thermostaticdevice is arranged.

Any number of the devices may be arranged in a common circuit with anannunciator or with a series of alarm bells or signal instrumentswhereby different parts of a house or building may be safe-guarded.

That is claimed is 1. A thermostatic device comprising a thermometertube having indications thereon, a supporting member slidable on thetube and having an opening therein, means engaged through the supportingmember to hold the same at any ad usted position, a movable contactmember extending into the tube, a pointer projecting from one wall ofsupporting member, springs engaged with the rods for forcing the samedownwardly and permitting upward yielding action thereof, a pair ofcontact members carried by the upper ends of said rods and adapted to beengaged by the first contact member upon upward movement thereof and anelectrical circuit closed thereby and including said contact members andan alarm.

2. A device of the class described C0111- prising in combination, avertical container, an expansible body in said container, a springcontact member movable in the container under the action of saideXpansible body, an electrical circuit including an alarm, an insulatingblock and a pair of contact members carried by the block, said blockbeing adjustably and resiliently mounted upon the vertical containerwhereby when the spring contact member is moved to engage the said pairof contacts, the circuit will be closed and the engagementcushioned.

3. 1n a thermostatic device, a base, a thermometer tube having anenlarged lower end mounted in the base, an expansible fluid in the tube,said tube having a restricted upper end, a packing arranged therein, afloat having a rod portion movable in the tube and through saidrestricted end, a contact member supported resiliently on the upper endof the rod, a block having a reduced portion, said block being slidablymounted upon the tube, a clamping member engaged through said reducedportion to hold the block in an adjusted position, an indicator carriedby the block for coaction with graduations upon the tube, a pair of rodssupported upon the block, means holding said rods normally downward andpermitting resilient upward movement thereof. contact members mountedupon said rods for engagement with the first named contact member and anelectrical circuit including an alarm device and said contact membersupon the rods and closed by said engagement.

4. In a thermostatic device, a thermometer tube, a float member movablein the thermometer tube, springs mounted on the float member, a contactmember mounted on the springs, a block clamped to the thermometer tube,an indicator on said block, vertical casings mounted on the block,springs disposed in the casings, rods movable in the casings against thetension of the springs and extending above said cas- Intestimonywhereof, I aflix my signaings, a non-conducting member mounted on ture,in presence of two witnesses.

the ends of the rods, contact members mounted on the non-conductingmember to THURSTON H. SMITH. engage with the contact member of the floatmember and an alarm circuit connected Witnesses:

with the contact members mounted on the FRANK A. SLAVIN,

non-conducting member. CLINTON F. FERRIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

